Goals

The goal of the Saguaro Cactus Mortality VIP is to understand what environmental factors contribute to a saguaro’s vulnerability to mortality in the face of periodic/intermittent events like extreme heat, wind, or drought.

Saguaros, particularly, are showing signs of increasing mortality of older individuals to episodic events such as wind storms. For example, wind storms of summer 2024 caused widespread mortality of saguaros on Tumamoc hill, where the species is followed in a study that spans a century. 

Issues Involved or Addressed

Although, highly adapted to arid conditions with the pulsed, episodic occurrence of precipitation, the plants of the Sonoran Desert Region have been exposed to prolonged and unprecedented heat, wind and drought events in recent years, with clear impacts on many taxa, especially the region’s columnar cacti, such as the iconic giant saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea). 

Saguaros, particularly, are showing signs of increasing mortality of older individuals to episodic events such as windstorms. For example, windstorms of summer 2024 caused widespread mortality of saguaros on Tumamoc Hill, where the species is followed in a study that spans a century. Unfortunately, our understanding of why certain saguaros perished in the windstorms and while others survived is severely underdeveloped. This information is critical for developing long term management plans of intact desert communities characterized by saguaros. This data is also key for supporting long term vegetation data collection on the hill. 

Methods and Tech

• Undergraduate students will assist a Postdoc in collecting field data on Tumamoc Hill on saguaros that were killed in the windstorm and survivors of equivalent age.
• Graduate students will assist undergrads in organizing and analyzing the data.
• Desert Laboratory staff and Cooperative Extension will assist in the creation of outreach associated with the project. Data collection in subsequent years will focus on drought and other stressors associated with saguaro mortality. 

Academic Majors of Interest

Preferred Interests and Preparation

Application Process